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LAVINIA, 

THE EED CROSS DOLL 





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“And then suddenly Katy took one of Lavinia’s hands in its scarlet 
mitten, and waved it rapturously; ‘Merry Christmas’ she shouted, etc.’’ 













Lavinia, 

The Red Cross Doll 

By 

CAROLINE STETSON ALLEN 
_ 

Illustrations by e-Alice B. Brest on 



1921 

THE STRATFORD CO , Publishers 
BOSTON 











li- 22. 328 


A. 

<, \ 



Copyright, 1921 

The STRATFORD CO., Publishers 
Boston, Mass. 


The Alpine Press, Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 


DEC 22 1921 


0- 


©CI.A653243 


Margaret Elizabeth and Eileen 
and the Little Qirls 
of the 

Junior Red Cross 

of America 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

I. 

Lavinia .... 

. 1 

II. 

Scarecrow Alley 

. 11 

III. 

Little Anne’s Choice . 

. 19 

IV. 

The Rival Nurses 

. 28 

V. 

The Gift .... 

. 38 

VI. 

Katy. 

. 44 

VII. 

The Doll’s Party 

. 59 


VIII. Katy and Lavinia Join the Junior Red 


Cross 


. 73 







* 






\ 





4 








‘ 1 Love like a child around our world doth run, 
Happy, happy, happy for all that God hath done, 
Glad of all the little leaves dancing in the sun. 
Even so say I; 

Even so say I. ’ ’ 


Tennyson. 



















CHAPTER I 


LAVINIA 

“Why, Elizabeth Dale, how beautifully 
yon ’re dressing that doll! ’ ’ said cousin Eleanor. 

“I don’t know that I should say 6 beauti¬ 
fully,’ ” said Miss Davis, the dressmaker, who 
was an old family friend, and now busy upon a 
morning-gown for Elizabeth. “The sewing de¬ 
serves all praise, but isn’t the frock itself rather 
old fashioned ?” 

Miss Davis visited New York,every Spring 
and Fall, and prided herself on keeping exact 
pace with the styles. 

“It’s just lovely!” cried Charlotte, hotly. 
Charlotte was Elizabeth’s younger sister. 

“This dolly doesn’t aspire to be a belle,” 
said Elizabeth, laughing, as she fitted to the 
doll’s head a snug scarlet hood. “She’s just 
a little old-timey country girl, aren’t you 
Lavinia ? ’ ’ 

Lavinia beamed assent, and really was so en¬ 
gaging in the scarlet hood that Miss Davis’s 


[i] 


LAYINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

expression softened as she regarded the doll. 

“They’re wearing jackets; capes aren’t seen 
off the farm,” was all that she said, however. 

“Shall we pack right up for the farm, Lavin- 
ia? But I must make some mittens for you 
first, — red, to match your hood. ’ ’ 

“Miss Davis, you must admit that cape is 
charming, stylish or unstylish exclaimed 
Cousin Eleanora, examining the little garment, 
which was of soft grey cashmere, lined with 
white satin, and edged with a narrow strip of 
soft white swan’s-down. There were two little 
gray satin rosettes where the cape was clasped 
about the doll’s neck. 

Cousin Eleanora, Elizabeth and Charlotte 
Dale, and Miss Davis were all sewing in Eliza¬ 
beth’s bedroom. This, by all Elizabeth’s 
friends, was voted a delightful room. It was 
all violet and white; and a delicious fragrance 
now stole from the bunch of English violets up¬ 
on the dressing table. Through two dormer- 
windows one had lovely changing pictures of 
meadow, woods, and sky. 

The Dales, a large family, (there was Big 
Brother Bob, and after him came Sophie, 
[2] 


LAVINIA 


Elizabeth, Jack, Charlotte and Hugh), lived in a 
pleasant, rambling old house in a New England 
village. 

Sophie, Elizabeth, and Charlotte had each, 
in turn, been devoted to dolls, and Elizabeth, 
(who was now seventeen) still kept, in one cor¬ 
ner of her room, a doll’s sofa of faded blue, up¬ 
on which sat two frail-looking dolls, named 
Alice and Susie Jane. Susie Jane, though a 
plain-faced rag doll, had an air of great good¬ 
nature, while in her youth Alice must have look¬ 
ed not at all unlike the blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked, 
doll now in Elizabeth’s hands. 

It was only a week before Christmas; and 
Cousin Eleanora, as she watched Elizabeth’s 
flying fingers, so busy with the tiny garments, 
wondered who was to be the happy owner of the 
new doll. For Elizabeth had never once spoken 
to anyone of the plan that for some time had 
been growing in her mind. This I will tell you 
all about a little later. But now you must look 
at a demure little girl just entering the room. 

This was Elizabeth’s eight-year-old cousin, 
Betty, and she carried in one hand a well-worn 
volume of Andersen’s Fairy Tales, and in the 


[3] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

other an old-fashioned doll with black, painted 
hair, and bright black eyes rather like huckle¬ 
berries. This doll, Polly Comforter, was 
dressed in butf-and-white striped calico. 

It was plain that Betty had not before seen 
the new doll, for her eyes at once opened very 
wide, and she ran to Elizabeth’s side “Oh, 
Elizabeth!” was all she could say, but her 
cheeks had grown very red, rivaling Polly’s in¬ 
deed. 

Elizabeth looked at Betty thoughtfully. 
“ She’s the one I’ll tell,” she said to herself. 

And just then Charlotte went off to her 
music-lesson. Cousin Eleanora said, “The 
irons must be hot enough now, Miss Davis. I’ll 
go down with you, and see that you have what 
you want.” So Elizabeth and Betty were left 
by themselves. 

“Betty, darling,” said her cousin, “I’m 
going to tell you a secret. ’ ’ 

“About the doll!” asked Betty, in a hushed 
voice. 

“Yes. Don’t you think she will be a dear 
when I get her dressed!” 

Betty’s answer was to clasp Polly Comfort- 


[4] 


LAVINIA 


er’s rather stiff arms about Lavinia’s neck in 
an ecstatic hug. 

“Well, on Christmas morning I’m going out 
early, before breakfast, and I shall hunt up 
some poor little forlornity who has never had 
a doll of her own — I mean a proper kind, 
dressed as every doll ought to he dressed, with 
buttons and button-holes, and a white petticoat 
and flannel, and a handkerchief, and a pocket 
to keep the handkerchief in. ’ ’ 

Here Polly proudly displayed the edge of her 
own blue flannel petticoat. “Then, when IVe 
found the right little girl, why I’ll give her this 
doll,” finished Elizabeth. “Do you like my 
plan, Betty? And— ” a sudden thought strik¬ 
ing her — “would you like to go with me to 
search for the little girl? — that is, if you de¬ 
cide to stay over Christmas, as I hope you 
surely will. ’ ’ 

Betty thought of Katharine on Christmas. 
But then she looked at the new doll. And the 
doll beamed at her! The red lips were surely 
curving in a smile meant just for her. The 
little girl jumped up and down (rather heavily, 
she was a stout child), and “Yes, I’ll stay!” 


[5] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

she shouted. “Oh, Elizabeth, may I undress 
her, and see every single thing she has on V ’ 

“Of course you may. See! Aren’t these 
red stockings and black ankle-ties cunning? 
And the rubbers I found at the funniest little 
out-of-the-way, never-to-be-found-again shop on 
Green Street.” 

Miss Davis might well have admired the 
underclothes. The stitches were hardly to be 
seen, and might have been made by the fingers 
of the doll itself. The narrow lace, edging the 
snowy muslin, had a charming design of wee 
rose-buds. Lavinia’s initials were embroid¬ 
ered in white floss upon each garment, in the 
smallest legible letters. 

Betty took the little Scotch plaid frock in 
careful hands, and slipped it gently over 
Lavinia’s head. “I’m glad it’s a winter dress!’’ 
said she. “I get so cross if they give me a doll 
dressed like summer when it isn’t summer!” 

“I know, Honey,” said Elizabeth, who was 
much like her Aunt Alice down in Yarmouth- 
port (a perfect love, understanding dolls as 
well as she did their young mammas). “This 
dress is for skating, and coasting and sleigh- 


[6] 


LAVINIA 


rides, and all the nice Christmasy things. It’s 
made quite plain, you see, and has a thick hem, 
so she won’t be a bit afraid to jump onto double¬ 
runners or to climb stone-walls.” 

Betty’s eyes glowed. 

“But the plaid is pretty,” went on Elizabeth. 
“It’s a bit left over from one of the babies’ 
frocks. I thought this smocking in the front 
would just give it a touch. There’s a pocket 
in the skirt. And see what’s in the pocket! 
This I am proud of! ” 

Elizabeth here drew from Lavinia’s pocket 
the very tiniest of boxes. On the cover, in red 
ink, was to be seen the magic word “Huyler’s.” 

“Not really-truly candy?” asked Betty. 

“Look!” said Elizabeth. “I took one choco¬ 
late caramel, and spoiled most of it, but got the 
rest at last into these bits of cubes. Then I 
wrapped each cube in tissue-paper. I never 
was so proud of anything in my life!” 

“It almost tills her pocket,” said Betty, re¬ 
placing the box. “Oh, there are pockets in her 
apron too!” 

“Yes. You see the dress is red, which may 
be the little girl’s favorite color. But perhaps 

[71 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


she likes blue, so I Ve put a blue-bordered hand¬ 
kerchief in one apron pocket. (A Christmas 
card is in the other one.) In case green is her 
choice, I’ve rigged this mite of a china dolly in 
green, and Lavinia is to hold her in her arm. 
With a sprig of holly pinned on her gray cape, I 
think she will be quite gay and Christmasy!” 
To which Betty heartily agreed. 

Miss Davis and Cousin Eleanora were mean¬ 
while again seated at work upstairs. 

‘ ‘ What a fine girl Miss Elizabeth is! ” said the 
dressmaker. “ Everyone in town has a good 
word for her.” 

“Elizabeth has always been a dear,” re¬ 
sponded Cousin Eleanora heartily, “and if any¬ 
thing was wanting in her, that lack was supplied 
after she joined the Junior Red Cross. To feel 
its generous blowing over, or rather through 
her, seemed at once to, — I hardly know how to 
express it — to shake into place all her fine im¬ 
pulses and strengthen her whole character.” 

“I am sure everyone who knows Miss Eliza¬ 
beth loves her. What a splendid work the Red 
Cross is doing! And, as you say, it really ac¬ 
complishes quite as much for members as for 


[<8] 


LAVINIA 


the many people they work for. In the homes 
where I sew, several mothers of young girls 
and boys have told me what the Junior Red 
Cross is doing for their children. The girls and 
boys are quite unconscious of it; but I tell you 
we ’re going to have some worth-while men and 
women growing up in this little town!’ ’ 

That night Elizabeth sat up a little later than 
usual, and it was almost half-past ten when she 
finally closed her eyes and settled herself to 
sleep. 

She was just slipping off into dreamland, 
when she was awakened by a small night- 
gowned figure clambering into her bed. 

“Why, Betsy anna!” she cried, “Why aren’t 
you in bed and asleep, Childie?” 

“Oh, I’m not going to stay” explained 
Betty, squeezing Elizabeth rather uncomforta¬ 
bly in the narrow bed. “But, Elizabeth, what 
if yellow is her favorite color?” 

“How would it be if I knit a Roman scarf 
with lots of yellow stripes ? ’ ’ asked her cousin, 
drowsily. 

(( That would do,” said Betty, cheerfully. 
And she slipped out of bed, and tiptoed back 

[9] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

to her own room, which opened ont of Eliza¬ 
beth’s. 

Before finally falling asleep, Elizabeth 
thought more about the Christmas suprise, and 
decided that, as little girls so much like a change 
of garments for their dolls, she would slip over 
the plaid dress a Bed Cross costume. This 
could easily be made of simple white muslin 
with a red cross sewed upon the waist. Scarlet 
stockings were already supplied, and a little 
white cap with a red cross in front would make 
a truly patriotic doll. 


[10] 


CHAPTER II 


SCARECROW ALLEY 

“Barbara hasn’t seemed quite herself the 
past few days,” said Mrs. Ware, at the break¬ 
fast table, taking another slice of hot buttered 
toast. “I am glad Betty is coming to spend the 
day with her. It will wake her up.” 

“I should say Barbara would be the one to 
wake her up,” said Mr. Ware. “Isn’t Betty 
the child who is always lost in a book?” 

“She does love reading,” said his wife, “but 
at the same time she has so much imagination, 
and invents such nice little games that Barbara 
always is happy with her.” 

At this moment their little daughter, gazing 
from the parlor-window, saw Betty walking 
sedately up the path, Polly Comforter (now 
muffled in a thick blue woolen coat and cap) 
held closely in her arms. 

Barbara’s face at once cleared, and seizing 
her own doll, Matilda Rosy, she hurried to open 
the front door. 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

“Oh, goody! goody!” was her greeting, as 
she jumped up and down, “How long can you 
stay?” 

‘ ‘ Good morning,’ ’ said Betty, politely. ‘‘ All 
day, —■ at least till five o’clock, and then 
Bridget’s coming for me. Shake hands, Polly 
Comforter,” she added, putting forward her 
doll’s blue-mittened hand into the cold china 
fingers of Matilda Rosy. 

‘ ‘ Take off your things! Come in here, it’s 
jolly and warm by the fire. What let’s do!” 
said Barbara, all in one breath, as she danced 
and pranced ahead into the comfortable parlor, 
or more properly living-room, Betty walking 
quietly after. The Wares lived about a mile 
and a half from the Dales, and quite close to the 
center of the village. 

“Wait a minute, please, Barbara,” said 
Betty, kneeling before the glowing logs, and 
holding Polly well up into the warmth. “Don’t 
you want to go for a walk? There’s a place I 
want to go to. ’ ’ 

“All right,” agreed Barbara, making a dash 
into the hall for her coat and hat. When she 
came back Betty looked her anxiously up and 
[ 12 ] 


SCARECROW ALLEY 


down, and suggested that Barbara exchange 
her rather thin rubbers for arctics as it was a 
nipping cold day. 

“Oh, Betty, don’t be such a fuss! It’ll take 
too long. The arctics have buttons miles up my 
legs!” At which Betty looked rather more anx¬ 
ious, but said nothing, and the small pair 
started forth, stopped only for a brief moment 
by Mrs. Ware, who came hurrying to the front 
door to ask where they were bound. 

“Just to Scarecrow Alley, Aunt Jessie,” an¬ 
swered Betty. 

“Scarecrow Alley, my dear!” exclaimed her 
aunt, doubtfully, “Isn’t that a queer and not 
very safe part of the town?” 

A look of joyful anticipation came into Bar¬ 
bara’s eyes. 

“It’s just only queer,” said Betty plead¬ 
ingly. 

“Nonsense, Jessie!” came in a deep bass 
from Papa in the background, “Scarecrow 
Alley’s as safe as our own backyard. Scurry 
along, youngsters! ’ ’ 

“My Papa’s a darling,” said Barbara, begin- 
ing to hoppity skip. “Why do you want to go 
[ 13 ] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

to that nice queer alley !” It did seem a choice 
unlike Betty to make. 

“Oh!” answered Betty, shyly. “I just 
thought I would. ’ ’ And Barbara had to be con¬ 
tent with that. 

The little girls had quite a walk through the 
the beautiful tingling air, for Scarecrow Alley 
was at the tail-end of the long, straggling vil¬ 
lage street. The houses, at first square, roomy, 
and most attractive, as Barbara and Betty went 
along, grew further apart, and gradually quite 
tumble-down in appearance, but finally they 
were again more thickly in line, though shab¬ 
bier than ever. Barbara was charmed. 

“See that funny old woman hanging out 
clothes!’ ’ she cried. ‘ ‘ Oh, Betty, she has a pipe 
in her mouth! She’s smoking! I didn’t know 
women ever smoked.” 

“They oughtn’t to,” said Betty, standing 
stock-still, and eyeing the old woman with dis¬ 
pleasure. “We’ll walk on the other side of the 
street, I guess, Barbara. Isn’t that a darling 
little boy!” 

She stopped as she spoke, before a chubby 

[ 14 ] 


SCARECROW ALLEY 


urchin of perhaps four years, standing by the 
roadside, who was poking a stick into the 
ground. He was very pretty, with sunny curls 
clustering to his shoulders. 

‘ 4 Little boy, don’t you want me to button up 
your coat!” she gently asked. 

“Go away!” screamed the darling little boy; 
and he struck smartly at Betty with his stick. 
She jumped out of his reach, and hurried on, 
looking her indignation. 

In choosing this walk Betty had a real pur¬ 
pose in mind; and she began now to look earn¬ 
estly to right and left, pausing to study any 
little girls on front steps, or to be seen through 
broken palings, at play within small yards. 

Somehow these little girls failed to satisfy 
her. They looked so unkempt, and not one of 
them a bit as if she would make a worthy mother 
to that wonderful new doll of Elizabeth’s. 

But at last, and while Barbara on her side 
of the alley, was utterly absorbed in watching a 
pitched battle between two small boys, Betty 
noticed a group of little girls of about her own 
age. Three of these little girls carried fairly 
respectable dolls. The fourth held a bunch of 


[i5] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


string, which had once been white, but from the 
dust of the street was now rather soiled. This 
bunch of string was tied abont in two places, so 
as to suggest neck and waist, and the small girl 
holding it in a tierce motherly clasp was being 
teased by her mates — her doll the butt of their 
scorn —, and was crying bitterly. 

Betty’s tender heart was moved. 

“Let me see your doll, please,” she said. 
And at this all the children stood still, and 
stared at the tidily-clad child with her black- 
eyed doll. The owner of the string-doll stepped 
forward, rubbing her eyes, and still sobbing. 

“It is a doll,” she said, “and they say it 
isn’t!” 

“I think she’s a nice baby!” (/ don’t then!” 
whispered Barbara, who had joined the group, 
but Betty frowned upon her). “And see here!” 
said Betty, drawing a narrow blue ribbon from 
Polly Comforter’s waist, — 4 ‘ This will make her 
prettier. ’ ’ 

As she spoke, Betty took the ill-used string- 
baby, and, slipping off her own thick gray mit¬ 
tens, deftly tied the blue sash about its middle. 
[16] 


SCARECROW ALLEY 


A radiant smile from its owner was her reward. 

"What’s yonr name?” asked Betty, smiling 
back, and pulling on her mittens again. 

■ 4 Katy.’ 9 

1 ‘ Katy what ? 9 9 thrust in Barbara. 

"Katy Moore,” said the little girl, shyly. 

Betty stood studying her. She had her 
reasons for wishing to know her when she 
should see her again, — this slim little girl with 
blue eyes, straight black hair bound by narrow 
green ribbon with floating ends, and thin cheeks 
still flushed from crying. 

Katy’s clothes were shabby, but they were 
clean, and her stockings trimly in place. 
Strong approval grew in the eyes of our orderly 
Betty. ‘ 4 Do you live in this house ? 9 9 she asked, 

"Why, Betty! Why do you want to know?” 
asked Barbara, curiously. 

" No, in the next one ,” said Katy; and Betty 
promised herself to remember. 

"Oh, come along, Betty! Let’s go home. I’m 
awfully hungry!” cried Barbara. 

So away went the two litle cousins, turning 
to wave Polly Comforter’s and Matilda Bosy’s 
[ 17 ] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


hands in friendly good-bye to the string doll. 

But although Barbara never saw the place 
again, this was not Betty’s last visit to Scare¬ 
crow Alley. 


CHAPTER III 


LITTLE ANNE’S CHOICE. 

44 Papa, may I have a penny!” asked little 
Anne. 

Anne was still another cousin, several years 
younger than Betty and Barbara. She was 
just now seated with her father and mother and 
the rest of the family before a big open fire, up¬ 
on which her brother Jim tossed a huge birch 
log which began to crackle with a pleasant 
sound. 

“A penny?” exclaimed Papa, throwing up 
both hands. 

“These are hard times,” said Uncle Na¬ 
thaniel, shaking his head. 

“Don’t go to showering money on my small 
sister. Remember my new party gown, if you 
please!” cried Esther. 

‘ 4 Bear in mind my hockey skates. Got to 
have ’em,” said Jem. 

“I was thinking of a new carpet said 
Mamma. 


[19] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

Anne began to look anxious; so Papa fumbled 
in his pocket, but his small change was always 
to be found in some other pocket. 

“What do you want to buy, little Anne?” he 
asked, finally bringing forth a shining new coin. 

“A soap-bubble pipe,” answered the child 
decidedly, smiling broadly. Why, the penny 
looked quite like gold! Probably it was gold. 
The sitting-room carpet looked shabby enough, 
to be sure, but, oh! how she did want that pipe! 

Here Norah put her head in at the door. 

“Please’m,” said she, “We do be nadin’ 
more eggs.” 

Anne glanced at Papa. Would this urgent 
need make a difference about the penny? But, as 
Mamma rose to confer about the eggs, he held 
out the coin, while Esther and Jem laughed to 
see their little sister’s delight. 

‘ 1 Shall Norah show you the way to the shop ? ’ ’ 
asked Esther. il Vd go, only I’ve got to learn 
this wretched Latin. ’ ’ 

“Betty will go with me, I guess,” replied 
Anne; and she flew out of the room to get ready, 

“Can’t I have the penny toward my skates, 
after all, then?” Jem called after her. 


[20] 


LITTLE ANNE’S CHOICE 


“Don’t tease the child,’’ said Mamma. “I 
remember when yonr heart was set upon a 
whistle in just that way.” 

Esther groaned. “The shriek of that whistle 
is still in my ears,” said she. 

Anne was already to be seen, a very small Red 
Riding Hood, on her glad way over the snowy 
road, where the drifts were piled high on either 
side. 

About this time Elizabeth Dale, up in her own 
room, was talking with Betty. She was much 
interested in all that Betty had to tell her of 
Scarecrow Alley, and especially of Katy Moore. 
“Betty, you’re a wonder!” cried she. “I do 
believe Katy is the very little girl for my doll. 
Here is the scarf I knit. Is there enough yellow 
in it?” 

“Oh, plenty ! It’s so pretty!” said Betty. 

“I think I heard little Anne come in the front 
door a minute ago,” said Elizabeth. Would 
you mind going down, and asking her to come 
up here? Aunt Ellen has just come home, and 
I’m afraid Anne may tire her.” 

“I didn’t hear them come in. Yes, I’ll get 
her,” replied Betty. 


[21] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

Down stairs little Anne, her scarlet cloak 
thrown off, was standing in the parlor in front 
of a rather stern-faced lady of middle age. The 
child made a charming picture in her simple 
white frock, her fair curly hair a little tousled, 
and one plump arm thrust behind her, holding 
her dear dolly, Daisy Dimple. But the lady on 
the sofa, who one saw had just come in, and who 
had not yet removed her austere-looking bonnet, 
eyed the little girl coldly. 

Anne gazed at the bonnet. It was not any¬ 
thing like Mamma's hat, — this tall peak, with 
its flare of black ribbon and bits of dangling jet. 
Mamma's hat was low, and had against its 
shady brim, a white wing caught in a knot of 
green velvet, while this . . . “I wonder who 
made that hat, ’’ thought Anne, ‘ ‘ ’cause Nursie 
says God makes the pretty things, — the vi’lets 
and daisies, and the sky, and the cherry-tree, 
and the brooks, and the babies (not the red 
ones), and my Mamma’s hat I think and . . .” 

Aunt Ellen saw, or perhaps felt, Anne’s un¬ 
spoken disapproval, and she hastily left the 
room, wearing a look of indignation, and hold¬ 
ing her lips tightly closed. 

[ 22 ] 


LITTLE ANNE’S CHOICE 

“Come up into Elizabeth's room," said Betty 
just then entering, and guessing that something 
had gone wrong. 

“I tell you what, Betty! '' began Anne eagerly. 

“What?" 

“I've got a penny. My Papa gived it to me. 
It's to buy a soap-bubble pipe. Let's go to 
Miss Lee's shop, and buy one. Then I 'll let you 
blow it part of the time." 

“All right," agreed Betty. “I'll get Polly 
Comforter." 

Polly Comforter and Daisy Dimple were al¬ 
ways ready for an airing, and very soon the two 
little girls, each carring her doll, set forth for 
the one village toy-shop. 

Miss Lee, the shop-keeper, was a pleasant 
young woman. She came forward as the child¬ 
ren entered, and smiled kindly upon her two 
little customers. 

“I want a soap-bubble pipe, please," said 
Anne, standing on tiptoe in order to bring her 
small pointed chin to the level of the counter. 

Miss Lee stepped to a corner-shelf where 
was ranged a sedate row of the desirable pipes. 
But even as she stepped, Anne's eyes lighted 


1 ^ 3 ] 


LAVINIA, THE BED CROSS DOLL 


upon a dish close by filled with cocoa-nut cakes. 
“Betty,” she whispered, “What you s’pose 
they cost?” 

“I’ll ask her if you want me to,” said Betty, 
with an eager snitf. And Miss Lee, returning, 
saw at once that the charm of the soap-bubble 
pipes had somehow faded away, and all that 
Anne could think of were the cocoanut cakes. 

“They’re a penny apiece, too, Miss,” said 
she. 

Her young customer looked distracted. How 
could one decide? She had not foreseen any¬ 
thing like this. And Betty made no suggestion. 
Anne hoisted herself up a little nearer to the 
dish. She saw the delicate light-brown tinge- 
ing the snowy cocoanut cakes. How good they 
smelt! Suddenly her plump hand flew forward, 
and she put down the penny. 

“I’ll buy one of these !” said she. So Miss 
Lee chose one of the largest cakes and wrapped 
it carefully in white paper. And Anne, with a 
solemn joy, took the parcel from her hand, and 
then the little girls went out of the shop. 

As Betty and Anne passed out into the street, 
they saw a little black-haired girl standing close 


[^4] 


LITTLE ANNE’S CHOICE 


to one of the windows of the shop, her wistful 
gaze fixed upon the row of dolls within. 

“Why! It’s the same one l” exclaimed Betty. 
And she whispered to Anne, “She’s talking to 
her string doll. ’ ’ 

It was, indeed, Katy of Scarecrow Alley. 
The string-baby, now decidedly dingy, was held 
pressed against the pane, opposite a charming 
doll in ruffled pink muslin. Betty, more in¬ 
terested than Anne, heard Katy say, 

“Some day I’ll buy you a dress like that one. 
Don’t you think it’s pretty?” And she then an¬ 
swered for her string-doll, “No, I don’t like it 
the least little speck.” 

“Why, Rose-bud!” cried Katy, eyeing her 
flabby daughter severely, “You distress me! 
That’s a very beautiful dress.” 

“I like my white one better, Mamma.” 

“Why do you?” 

The string doll appeared to ponder this. 

“ It’s nice and warm , ’ ’ was her reply. 

Katy was so interested in all this that she 
never once glanced toward the two little shop¬ 
pers. Anne also had been studying the dolls, 

[ 2 5] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL, 

but now the little cousins started on their home¬ 
ward way. 

The cocoanut cake was large, but when broken 
in half and shared with Betty it soon vanished. 

The children had to pass Anne’s house be¬ 
fore they reached the Dale’s and there was 
Anne’s papa just going up the front steps. So 
the children decided to stop awhile. 

“Well, little daughter,” said he kindly, “have 
you bought the wonderful soap-bubble pipe?” 

“No, Papa” (in a very small voice). 

“Why, what did you buy?” asked Papa in 
surprise, and pausing upon the top step. 

“A cocoa-nut cake,” (in a still smaller voice). 

‘ 4 What do you say, my dear ? ’ ’ 

Anne hung her head, till her yellow curls hid 
her face completely. 

“A cocoa-nut cake,” she whispered through 
this protecting screen, “and I can’t change it 
now. We’ve ated it up.” 

“I’ve been wondering,” said Papa, “how you 
would like to have a little bank to put your pen¬ 
nies in? Then when you had saved enough pen¬ 
nies, you could buy a thrift-stamp. ’ ’ 

Papa had before this told the children how 


[ 26 ] 


LITTLE ANNE’S CHOICE 


America had been at war with Germany, and 
how buying the thrift-stamps was really lending 
money to our country to help men who had been 
wounded, and the families of these brave men. 

He told Betty and Anne, too, about the Junior 
Red Cross, and was sure that, before they were 
much older, the little girls might join it. 

Little Anne now sat down upon the doorstep, 
to balance in her mind the joys of soap-bubble- 
pipes and cocoa-nut cakes and of being able to 
help America make safe homes for all the poor 
little boys and girls in England and France, 
those strange, far-away countries. And on the 
door-step we will leave her. 


[27] 


CHAPTER IY 


THE RIVAL NURSES 

And then, two days before Christmas, if Betty 
didn’t go and sprain her ankle! This happened 
while she was playing in the barn with Charlotte 
and Hugh. Hugh was swinging Betty, higher 
and yet higher, when she suddenly took it into 
her head to jump out of the swing, as Hugh had 
so often done with a reckless skill that had won 
her admiration. 

Alas! Poor Betty sprawled heavily upon the 
hard, hay-scattered floor, and in the fall she 
twisted her ankle. But she behaved like a little 
heroine. Charlotte and Hugh made a chair 
with their interclasped hands, and carried her 
into the house and up-stairs. All the way 
Betty never cried out once, although her face 
grew white. 

Charlotte insisted that the little girl be 
brought into her room, which was rather sunnier 
than Betty’s own, and there the good village 
doctor quickly came, and made her much more 

[ 28 ] 


THE RIVAL NURSES 


comfortable. “But she must keep perfectly still 
for a few days/’ said he. “No leap frog, or 
turning of somersaults!”— shaking a warning 
finger at the little girl, and looking for the shy, 
fleeting smile he liked to draw out. 

Downstairs Mrs. Dale was consulting with 
Cousin Eleanora. “I don’t know exactly what 
to do, ’’ said Mrs. Dale. ‘ 1 1 know you ’ll propose 
acting nurse, but you mustn’t, ~ no, you must 
not l - with the baby not through teething. As 
to Elizabeth, she would gladly give up every 
scrap of her time to Betty, - poor darling little 
Betty! - but, really, with her own Bed Cross 
work, and just on the edge of Christmas . . ” 

“I have an idea!” said Cousin Eleanora, 
“Why not let our small guests take turns at 
nursing? It’s only to sit with her and amuse 
her, - there’s no medicine to take charge of. 
And I think it would be good for the children, 
and make them all the happier to find them¬ 
selves of real use.” 

“Can you trust Bosamund?” asked Aunt 
Ellen solemnly, from her corner. 

“Trust Bosamund? Surely!” said Mrs. Dale. 


[29] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

So Cousin Eleanora knew her plan would be 
carried out. 

By this time I am sure you feel no surprise 
when a new little girl pops into my story. You 
have already made friends with Betty, Barbara 
and Anne. The other small cousins were Emily, 
Bosamund, Hilda, Cecily and Mary-bud, as the 
youngest was called. 

Bosamund, Hilda and Cecily were all to spend 
their Christmas vacation at the Hales, so you 
see there should be no lack of jolly young nurses 
for Betty. 

The little girls were, one and all, enchanted 
with the idea! 

“I’ll read to her,” said Cecily, with grave 
delight, “or Madge will, — ” putting forward a 
doll measuring perhaps three inches. 

“I’ll have Jane act like fury for her,” said 
Hilda sweetly, bending a heavenly glance upon 
her would-be-amiable daughter. 

As for Bosamund, who was to tell what Bosa¬ 
mund, aided and abetted by her big doll Gret- 
chen, would choose to do for Betty’s amuse¬ 
ment? Something lively, no doubt, to judge by 
their wild dancing and prancing about the room. 

[ 30 ] 


THE RIVAL NURSES 


‘‘ Charlotte has been with her all the morning, 
so far,” said Mrs. Dale. “One of you had bet¬ 
ter go up now. Or stay — ’ ’ she hastily added, 
as the three made one hound for the stairs, “Let 
me see, dearies — Hilda, you may go first.” 

“Oh, thank you!” said Hilda, fervently. 
“But” (bethinking herself, for she was a gen¬ 
erous-hearted little girl) “wouldn’t Rosamund 
or Cecily rather go first!” 

“No. Run along, chickie!” said her aunt. 
“You two can play out-of-doors till I ring a 
bell from the dining-room window. Then 
Rosamund come next.” 

“Hooray!” cried lanky black-haired Rosa¬ 
mund. 

Hilda, entering Elizabeth’s room, found 
Betty in the big rocking-chair by the window, 
the lame foot resting on a sofa-cushion upon 
another chair. She had been cutting out pic¬ 
tures, and now held an unnatural-looking ele¬ 
phant in listless fingers. 

“Jane,” said Hilda, “go and shake hands 
with Miss Betty, and tell her you feel dread¬ 
fully that she has hurt her ankle.” 

Betty’s face cleared, for she knew Jane’s 
ways of old. 


[3i] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

“Not sorry at all!” cried Jane, and she 
grabbed the elephant, and flung it high into the 
air. 

“Oh, Hilda!” said Betty, gleefully, “have 
her talk to Alice and Susie Jane, over there on 
the doll’s sofa.” 

Jane was promptly marched across the room. 

“I think I’ll lie down awhile,” said naughty 
Jane, and she calmly pushed the astonished 
Alice and Susie Jane from the sofa, upon which 
she then stretched herself at full length. 

The two dolls, their feelings deeply injured, 
began to cry loudly. 

“There’s no need of all this racket,” said 
Aunt Ellen, showing a severe face at the door. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Aunt Ellen,” said Hilda 
meekly. “I was just crying for the dolls, and 
there are two , so I cried louder.” 

“No need to tell me how loud you cried,” 
said Aunt Ellen, grimly. She closed the door, 
and her steps were heard descending the stairs. 

For a moment Betty and Hilda were silent,— 
then “Go on!” pleaded Betty. And Hilda, or 
rather Jane, “went on” with, in fact, such a 
will, that by the time the bell summoned Rosa- 

[ 32 ] 


THE RIVAL NURSES 


mund, Elizabeth would have hardly known her 
own room, such was the havoc wrought in its 
violet and white daintiness. The two ancient 
dolls stood upon their heads on the mantle- 
piece. Perhaps it was as well that they could 
not see their respected blue sofa, now acting as 
a double runner upon which Jane lay flat, coast¬ 
ing recklessly down the white fur hearthrug. 
The rug was rolled up into a snowy “hill.” 

“Be sure to come up again by and by!” 
called Betty, as Hilda and Rosamund changed 
places. 

“Yes, I will,” came back Hilda’s sunny voice, 
1 1 Ho you want a drink or anything before I go V ’ 

“Oh yes, Hilda! I didn’t know, but I’m so 
thirsty!” 

“All right,” said the devoted nurse, “I’ll get 
you a pitcherful.” 

“What a grand, mussy old room! ” was Rosa¬ 
mund’s greeting, as she vented her satisfaction 
by throwing Gretchen almost to the ceiling. 

“Which would be most fun, bean-bag or— ” 

“Bean-bag, you crazy child!” cried Aunt 
Ellen, who had a way of appearing when you 
least expected. “What are you thinking of! 

[33] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

She might jerk her ankle all out of place 
again! ’ ’ 

“I’m sorry, Annt Ellen,” said Rosamund, 
feeling quite abashed. Just then Elizabeth 
came in. “How would you like to blow soap- 
bubbles, darling?” said she. “See! You can 
have my little sewing-table right beside you, 
Betty, and Rosamund can be on the other side. 
I’ll get some soapy water.” And Elizabeth 
brought her pretty wash-bowl (white, with a 
narrow border of hepaticas), and then pro¬ 
duced from the “children’s drawer” of her 
closet which held all sorts of treasures, two 
pipes and a piece of Castile soap. “There!” 
said she, and was gone, for, as her mother had 
said, it was “the edge of Christmas,” and no 
end of things to be done. 

For awhile the play went on peacefully; it 
was pleasure enough to watch the ever-chang¬ 
ing rainbow hues of the glistening bubbles as 
they floated above the little girls’ heads. But 
presently Rosamund said, “Let’s put our heads 
pretty close together, and then see how near we 
can make the bubbles come without their join¬ 
ing.” 


[34] 


THE RIVAL NURSES 


Betty thought that would be great fun, and 
they laughed delightedly when the bubbles did 
meet, with a soapy splash upon their up¬ 
turned faces. That was all very well for 
once, but in spite of Rosamund’s comment, 
“Isn’t it sea-shorey and nice, Gretchen?” 
(Gretchen and Polly Comforter were propped 
upon the table against Alice in Wonderland and 
The Water Babies, and looked themselves far 
from dry) —by the time the third eager nurse 
came for her turn, their patient was drenched 
to the skin. 

Rosamund laid down her soap-bubble pipe 
reluctantly. Gretchen’s steps, too, dragged, 
and they both gave more than one backward 
glance as they left the room. 

Cecily entered the room so softly it was as if 
she were imitating the bubbles, and was wafted 
forward to Betty’s side. She didn’t say one 
word about her cousin’s being so wet, but hur¬ 
ried into Betty’s own room, and speedily 
brought a change of frock and undergarments. 

4 ‘It’s only my shirt you need change,” said 
Betty, when her pretty pink flannel wrapper 


[35] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

was removed. “My skirts aren’t wet, and I 
conldn’t move my leg anyway. ’ ’ 

“I’ll rnb you a little, first,” said Cecily, “You 
are so sopped!” 

Then, when the patient was as dry as a chip, 
Cecily flew lightly about the room, restoring 
order. Betty by this time was very tired, and, 
oh! it did seem good to see the wild confusion 
giving swift way to the usual fair orderliness 
of Elizabeth’s room. 

“What would be nice now , Betty?” asked 
Cecily softly, standing beside the invalid’s 
chair. 

“I don’t know,” said Betty, languidly. It 
was quite enough just to look about the violet- 
and-white room, and at Cecily in her clean blue- 
checked gingham. 

Cecily thought a moment. Then she sat 
down on a little footstool near Betty, and drew 
her tiny doll from her pocket. 

“Read to her, Madge,” she said, placing her 
daughter on her knee. 

Madge obeyed. She remembered — astonish¬ 
ingly for one of her size — all Betty’s favorite 
poems. This is one of them: 

[ 36 ] 


THE RIVAL NURSES 


“Ring-ting! I wish I were a Primrose, 

A bright yellow Primrose, blooming in the 
Spring! 

The stooping boughs above me, 

The wandering bee to love me, 

The fern and moss to creep across, 

And the Elm-tree for our King!” 
“Nay-stay! 1 wish I were an Elm-tree, 

A great lofty Elm-tree, with green leaves gay, 
The winds would set them dancing, 

The sun and moonshine glance in, 

The birds would house among the boughs, 
And sweetly sing.” 

“ 0 no! 1 wish I were a Robin, 

A Robin, or a little Wren, everywhere to go, 
Through forest, field or garden, 

And ask no leave or pardon, 

Till Winter comes with icy thumbs, 

To ruffle up our wing!” 

“Well-tell! Where should I go to, 

Where go to sleep in the dark wood or dell! 
Before a day was over, 

Home comes the rover, 

For mother’s kiss, - sweeter this 
Than any other thing.” 

William Allingham. 


[37] 


CHAPTER V 


THE GIFT 

Yon will realize all Betty’s disappointment 
when Christmas morning dawned, in not being 
able to walk out with Elizabeth. But she was 
comforted by the overflowing stocking she 
found at the foot of her bed. Each member of 
the family had this year remembered the little 
girl with special loving care; and among her 
gifts was a fur coat for Polly Comforter, made 
by Cousin Eleanora, and a dear little satchel 
filled with dolls’ school-books made by Eliza¬ 
beth and Aunt Alice down in Yarmouthport. 

Elizabeth had written the books in easy 
words of not more than three syllables; Aunt 
Alice could paint, and she had illustrated the 
wee geography, Botany, History, etc., with 
the dearest little pictures, in bright colors. 
Polly Comforter’s name appeared on the fly¬ 
leaf of each book. So for our Betty, it was not, 
after all, a bad beginning of the glad holiday. 

Elizabeth awoke very early, before the first 


[38] 


THE GIFT 


rosy streaks had stained the Eastern sky. She 
dressed noiselessly, then drew Lavinia all 
wrapped in soft pale pink paper, from her low¬ 
est bureau drawer. She looked the doll all 
over, to see that every button was firm, and 
every ribbon in place; then (rather laughing 
at herself, for she was seventeen, and for half 
a year had “done up” her hair) —she gave 
Lavinia not one, nor two, but three ardent 
kisses. 

“Be sure you make the little girl happy,” she 
whispered. 

Then she sped down the two flights of stairs, 
and — wrapped from head to feet in brown-and- 
white rabbit-skin fur — joyfully stepped forth 
into the frosty sparkling air. The softly-fal¬ 
ling snow-flakes might have been any number 
of dolls’ handkerchiefs fluttering a Christmas 
greeting to Lavinia. A chickadee perched on 
the fence post nodded its head in the most 
friendly way. 

‘ ‘ Merry Christmas!’ ’ called Elizabeth to the » 
milkman, as he rattled by in his laden cart. 
And the milkman called back “Merry Christ¬ 
mas!” to her. 


[39] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


One good thought inspires another, Eliza¬ 
beth had told her friends belonging to the 
Junior Red Cross of her plan for the Christ¬ 
mas doll, and the other girls of her age were at 
once eager to each choose a doll and dress it, 
and to find for it on Christmas Day a little 
would-be owner. 

You can imagine the exciting expeditions to 
the “Variety Store” in the village (kept by 
Miss Patty Dobbs, who might have been twin- 
sister of Miss Mattie in Cranford) for narrow 
laces and dainty ribbons. And every box and 
rag-bag in every attic had been ransacked, and 
made to yield its treasures. 

When finished, from carefully curled or 
braided locks down to the trim tying of ankle- 
tie slippers, these dolls were charming, each 
girl in secret believing her own doll to be the 
prettiest. 

Elizabeth now hurried along, for it was quite 
a walk to Scarecrow Alley. Betty had told her 
just where Katy’s house stood, and Elizabeth’s 
plan was to go directly to the door, and ask to 
see the little girl. But, to her pleasure, as she 
neared the house, a group of children were to 


[40] 


THE GIFT 


be seen outside, — the same group (though this 
Elizabeth could not know) Betty and Barbara 
had met. And Katy was unmistakable, — Katy 
with her thin figure, and black locks, and green 
flying ends of hair-ribbon. 

As before, the children were making fun of 
the hapless string doll, and this time Katy had 
been worked into a fury of indignant mother- 
love. Her blue eyes were blazing, and she 
looked almost ready to strike at her teazing 
mates. So Elizabeth hurried forward. 

“ Merry Christmas, children!” said she. 
“Isn’t this a lovely snow-storm! You’ll be hav¬ 
ing coasting soon. ’ ’ 

The two little girls said nothing, but stood 
staring at the pretty young lady in her furs. 

“I had a string-doll once,” said Elizabeth, 
coming to Katy, and kneeling down beside her. 
“It’s a nice kind to have, I think, for it’s so 
soft, and can’t break. But maybe this dolly 
would like a big sister! ’ ’ 

Here Elizabeth placed her pink parcel in 
Katy’s hands. Her own heart beat fast as she 
did so. This was the moment to which she had 
looked forward for weeks. The teazing child- 
[4i] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

ren had stepped back a little way. They knew 
that Katy was the heroine in this small drama. 

It was easy to divine something of Katy’s 
feelings, though she didn’t speak; and yet per¬ 
haps even Elizabeth could not know what it 
meant to this little girl, who had never owned 
one before, to have a real doll. 

Katy stood as if turned to stone, and did not 
speak. 

Elizabeth talked on easily about the doll, 
telling her name, — “though you may change it 
to any other one you like better, ’ ’ — and show¬ 
ing the tiny pockets and their contents. Katy 
gave a little gasp when she saw the box of 
chocolates. But what she liked best of all was 
the Red Cross dress. 

“Well, I must be running home,” at last said 
Elizabeth, “for four little girls are waiting for 
me.” 

She placed Lavinia in Katy’s outstretched 
hands, and then lingered, for she did want a few 
words from the child. But no words forth¬ 
coming, she turned homeward. 

She passed several houses, and then turned 


[42] 


THE GIFT 


to look back. Katy stood in the same spot, but 
no longer was she a little statue. 

“Why! she is very pretty, — really beauti¬ 
ful !” thought Elizabeth. The blue eyes were 
shining, the cheeks glowing red; the mouth flew 
a dancing smile to Elizabeth. 

And then suddenly Katy took one of Lavinia’s 
hands, in its scarlet mitten, and waved it 
rapturously. “Merry Christmas!” she shout¬ 
ed, and the cry came free and strong through 
the wintry air. Elizabeth knew it was Katy’s 
“thank you,” as well as Christmas greeting, 
and she went home well content. 


[43] 


CHAPTER VI 


KATY 

Katy Moore lived with an aged relative, an 
irritable old woman who was not always kind 
to her. When a few weeks after Christmas, 
this relative died, Katy went to live at the Or¬ 
phanage. But not for long. I want now to tell 
you of a great change that came into her life; 
and perhaps I can best do this if, for awhile, we 
leave the Dale’s happy home, just now over¬ 
flowing with little girls, and go over to the Or¬ 
phanage, which was in a distant part of the 
same village. We will go first into 

The Matron’s Room 

“I wonder if I can suit her,” said Miss Mills. 
She slowly folded the letter she had been read¬ 
ing, and as slowly took off her spectacles, and 
laid letter and glasses on the stand at her side. 

Miss Mills, — lank, thin-cheeked, narrow¬ 
lipped— was in charge of the Orphanage; and 
the plump, compact, good-natured-looking little 

[44] 


KATY 


woman who sat rocking by the further window 
was Miss Cushing, her chief assistant. 

“Oh, yes!” now said Miss Cushing, cheer¬ 
fully. 

“Gracious, Louisa! you’ve not even seen the 
letter. You don’t know what I’m talking a- 
bout.” 

“Someone after a child?” placidly asked 
Miss Cushing. She was darning a small blue 
stocking, and if the stocking had waited much 
longer to be darned, there wouldn’t have been 
any stocking to speak of. 

“Yes, but it’s that Miss Loring!” 

Then, indeed, Miss Cushing did stop rock¬ 
ing, and a look of some concern appeared on 
her plump face, for Miss Loring was well- 
known to be a Most Particular Lady — was, in 
fact, one of the Lorings; and if she came in 
search of a child, one must have the right child 
ready. 

“It’s not that she’s rioji said Miss Mills, 
“for she isn’t.” 

“No,” said Miss Cushing. “Boy or girl?” 

‘ 6 Girl. Let me see ”... taking up the letter 
again — “ ‘a little girl of about eight or nine.’ 


[45] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


Miss Loring and her brother are coming this 
afternoon to choose a child. Seem to be in a 
hurry. Miss Loring is going to make her home 
with this brother in England, and wants to take 
along a little girl to bring up and have for com¬ 
pany. Now, Louisa, we must set our wits to 
work! ’ ’ 

Miss Mills herself looked as if she liked 
nothing better than setting her wits to work. 
Her stiff muslin cap, with its starched bows, 
fairly bristled, and she sat more erectly in the 
old rocker. 

But “Louisa’’ resumed contentedly, “Oh, 
well, Sarah, I guess they’ll see one they’ll like. 
I’m sure they’re a nice set this year. Of course 
Katy’d have no chance.” 

“Katy’s here to stay, unless she changes a 
good bit. But there’s Nellie Burns; I’m free 
to say I’m proud of that child! ’ ’ 

“And yet Katy” .... began Miss Cushing. 

“Nellie’s not afraid to speak up when she’s 
spoken to,” went on Miss Mills rapidly. “A 
smart, capable child. She’ll be worth some¬ 
thing to the home she goes into. And then 


[46] 


KATY 


there’s Rhoda ... If Miss Loring could see 
her hemming .... ’ 9 

“And yet Katy . . ” 

“Yes, Rhoda can hem as well as a girl twice 
her age. Pretty, too. Some call her hair red, 
but I say it’s auburn. I do take solid satisfact¬ 
ion in looking at that child!” 

“And yet Katy— ” began Miss Cushing a 
third time. But just then a hell rang in some 
lower region, and the Matron had risen and 
was out of the door before more could be said. 

In the Play Room 

The Play-room at the Orphanage looked like 
anything but a place for play. The walls were 
bare of ornament, except for a framed sampler 
at one end of the room. In vivid colors, this 
sampler showed Jonah in the act of being swal¬ 
lowed by the Whale, and was the cause of not a 
few nightmares among the children. Miss 
Mills had worked the sampler at the age of 
seven. 

There were two plain wooden tables in the 
room, but no chairs, excepting those for the use 
of visitors. Miss Mills thought that chairs en- 


[47] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

couraged laziness, and that, nntil a child’s 
habits were formed, it was as well to keep him 
actively on his feet. As to games, — ‘ ‘ They 
only clutter np the room,” she said. 

Yet a child will have his own. In the bare 
room games were played and laughter sounded. 
Smuggled newspapers were changed by small 
girls into paper dolls, and tables to tents for the 
camping of little soldiers. 

There was, besides, one doll hugely admired 
by all the children, or perhaps I should say by 
all the little girls. After a weeks’ pleading 
from Miss Cushing, the Matron had at last, 
though not very willingly, allowed Katy to play 
with Lavinia at stated times. 

The child had not, indeed, cried when the doll 
was withheld, but she really pined for it, and 
could scarcely eat. It would have taken a heart 
of stone to refuse what meant so much to the 
child, and Miss Mills was not quite heartless. 
So for an hour every day Lavinia joined her 
little mamma in the playroom. 

To-day this room was quieter than usual. 
Whether someone had overheard stray senten¬ 
ces from the morning’s conversation between 


[48] 


KATY 


Miss Mills and Miss Cushing, or whether Miss 
Cushing had told one of the older girls, — how¬ 
ever it came about, a rumor had spread among 
the children that a lady was that day coming, 
to choose and possibly take away one of their 
own number. And, though not ill-natured, they 
all shouted with laughter when Katy cried, 
“Oh, if it could be me!” Katy’s eyes looked 
too big for her thin face. Her hair refused 
point-blank to curl, even when Angie Mc- 
Mannus twisted up the black locks in many 
papers. 

“Your clothes slip and twist so, Katy!” said 
Miss Mills. “How is it! Jennie’s don’t.” 

Katy made no answer (it was a provoking 
way she had) but held Lavinia close to her 
heart, and looked rather stupidly at Jennie. 
Jennie was as trim as the freshly-clipped yew 
in the front yard, while Katy was more like the 
stunted and straggling crab-apple tree across 
the wall. 

Miss Mills had singled out Jennie as the little 
girl Miss Loring would probably choose to 
adopt. But then she wondered whether Rhoda 


[49] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

of the auburn hair might not stand an equally 
good chance. Looks go a long way. 

In Bhoda’s mind there was no doubt what¬ 
ever. She felt sure of not being passed by, and 
this conviction led her to assume a new step 
and mien, and to look upon the bare walls as if 
already saying good-bye to them. 

Katy had invented a game called 4 ‘Gather 
them Golden,” at which the children were play¬ 
ing. It was a pretty and ingenious game, but 
Katy herself could not be coaxed to take part 
in it. She blushed hotly and drew back when 
the children tried to pull her into their circle. 
She took the youngest baby, Jimmie, in her 
arms, and cuddling him close, looked on from a 
far corner. The baby patted Katy’s cheek. 
He was allowed to pull the green ribbon from 
her hair, and she never said a word. But she 
laughed with Jimmie when, the golden apples 
being at last gathered into a “basket”, the boys 
began to pick them out and ‘ 1 eat ’ 9 such as could 
not escape. 

Pehaps if Jimmie had been able to talk, one 
would have found out why Katy’s frocks so 
often slipped and twisted. 

[so] 


KATY 


On the Way to the Orphanage 

4 ‘Edward, 'what in the world am I doing 
this for?” 

‘ ‘ Heaven knows!’ ’ her brother replied. 

“Shall we turn back?” said Miss Loring — 
“But no, I want this little girl exactly as I 
wanted my first long gown, and before that a 
doll with real hair.” 

“Dolls are expensive.” 

‘ ‘ I think her hair will be light, Edward. I’ve 
never thought of any but a light-haired child, — 
perhaps like little Alice.’ ’ 

Mr. Loring looked away, and for a few mo¬ 
ments neither spoke. When he began again 
it was with a faltering voice. “ After having 
Her, if you choose someone . . (as yon well 
may; it’s all a lottery) . . not a lady ...” 

“I know, I dare say I shouldn’t have said 
we’d decide at once. But we must sail Satur¬ 
day; and I must see to all her clothes.” 

4 ‘ Get ’em in London. ’ ’ 

“The poor mite must have something to 
travel in.” 

Miss Loring was several years older than her 
brother. He was just thirty. The loss of their 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

little sister Alice, some twelve years before, 
was a subject of which they seldom could speak, 
even to each other. 

As they drew nearer to the Orphanage Miss 
Loring’s color came and went, and her heart 
beat quickly. As Edward had said, it was a 
lottery. He and she were the only ones left of 
the old name, excepting some distant cousins in 
Canada. If this child could fit into their quiet 
lives, be a bit of color and fragrance where they 
had almost forgotten how to look for any blos¬ 
soming, — could lure Edward from his sadness, 
— make his sister ’s hands more gladly busy — 
On the other hand, if the little girl should prove, 
in the end, after care and cherishing, but an 
artificial flower, unable to bloom- 

And now they were at the gate, and in a 
moment had been admitted, and shown into 
the chilly little reception room. 

In the Play-Room 

Miss Mills led her visitors up two flights of 
stairs, and along the narrow hall which led to 
the play-room, — “For here,” she explained, 
“you can see the children all together. If I 


O] 



KATY 


called them downstairs one at a time, I ’m afraid 
it would wear out your patience . 9 9 

‘‘This will be the better way,” said Miss 
Loring. “We have a two-mile walk home, and 
the days are shortening . 9 9 

The hall was dark, and in opening the play¬ 
room door the light, coming suddenly, was 
rather blinding. Moreover, Mr. Loring’s eye¬ 
sight was very poor. He followed Miss Mills 
and his sister into the room, but just over the 
threshold stumbled over a toy cart (or a wooden 
box with string tied to it), and fell headlong. 
He was on his feet at once, brushing off the dust 
with his handkerchief, and smiling away the 
lamenting of the matron. 

I speak of this only because of what followed. 
The children were amused by the mishap, Jen¬ 
nie and Rhoda laughing loudly after the others 
were quiet. Miss Loring looked at the little girl 
whose black hair was held in bounds by the nar¬ 
row green ribbon. This child was quite near 
the door, but one would suppose she had seen 
nothing of the fall. When it happened she in¬ 
stantly turned her head away, and seemed to be 
intently watching something from the window. 


[53] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

The matron said nothing whatever to Katy, 
while she brought forward, in turn, capable 
Nellie, pretty Ehoda, and trim Jennie (the 
bright particular star), and a few other little 
girls not so noticeable, “but likely children /’ 
Miss Mills told her visitors. 

“Nellie, run to Miss Cushing, and fetch a 
plate of cake for the lady and gentleman. Do 
you go with her, Katy — 19 turning to the child 
at the window. 

“Youhi see, now, how spry Nellie is,” said 
Miss Mills, when the two little girls had gone 
downstairs, “always up-and-doing. Not a lazy 
bone in her!” 

“And the other little one?” asked Miss 
Loring. 

“Oh, Katy? Katy’s well enough to mind a 
baby or that, — but she’s ordinary, that’s what 
Katy is, — ordinary. ’ 9 

Here was Nellie, to be sure, back again, plate 
in hand, and on the plate a thin slice of fruit¬ 
cake and a thick slice of plain cake. 

This plate she passed briskly to Miss Loring, 
while “ordinary” Katy, two minutes later en- 


[54] 


KATY 


tered with a twin plate, which she very shyly 
gave into Mr. Loring’s hands. 

Was it, after all, a twin plate! The brother 
and sister exchanged a swift smile. The fresh, 
snowy napkin underlying Mr. Loring’s plate 
was absent from the plate of his sister. His 
cake lay in even slices, while hers — the under 
slice — looked as if small fingers had been busy 
along its edges. 

“You’re slow, Katy!” said Miss Mills, coldly; 
at which the color in Katy’s cheeks deepened. 

Nellie drew herself up with a comical little 
air of self-satisfaction, and Jennie and Rhoda 
looked anxious. Each was fairly sure of her 
own greater worth, yet one never could tell with 
grand ladies and gentlemen, who were creatures 
well known to be subject to whims. 

The matron found her visitors strangely 
silent folk, but she was used to all kinds, and 
now, to fill the time, asked the small girls in 
turn to come and speak to the lady, and tell 
her what they could do. Angie McManus spoke 
of her skill at ironing; Mary Harris, it seemed, 
found her joy in darning fine laces. 

“I can trim my own hats, and the other chil- 

[*56] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

dren’s hats,” said Nellie, “and I can set tables, 
and wash dishes, and dust, and clean up, and 
make — ’ ’ 

“That will do,” said Miss Mills, for she had 
caught a look of impatience on Mr. Loring’s 
face. She called Jennie next, then Annie and 
Rhoda, and, last of all, Katy. 

“Speak up now, Katy!” said the matron, as 
the little girl slowly advanced, and stood with 
drooping head before the three. 

Instead of “speaking up,” Katy’s head bent 
a little further, so that one now saw, not only 
the band of green ribbon around her hair, but 
the ribbon’s floating ends. 

“You’ve a tongue, I suppose, as well as 
Angie or Jennie?” went on Miss Mills. 

“I know what she can do!” said Mr. Loring, 
taking Katy very gently by the hand, and draw¬ 
ing her to his side. “She can look the other 
way when big men, who ought to know better, 
fall all over themselves!” 

Mr. Loring’s eyes looked into the little girl’s 
with an expression she had never met before 
from any grown-up. It was a look that called 
to her, and she knew her own eyes were reply- 

[56] 


KATY 


ing, even though her tongue were tied. It was 
a look all fun and bright understanding. And 
suddenly an expression of the child’s own, de¬ 
licious in its hint of laughter, as some bright 
curving shell seen through the covering wave, 
—brought Miss Loring’s gaze as well to Katy’s 
face. 

“Tell me, please, what you like to do,” said 
she, in her low pleasant voice. 

“I can’t do things. I’m not smart,” came 
almost in a whisper. 

“True enough!” cried Miss Mills, while the 
children tittered. 

Now the next-to-youngest orphan was Patsy 
O ’Brien. Patsy was five, and he adored Katy 
from her dusky head to the toes of her worn 
shoes. And Patsy, watching from afar the 
faces of Miss Mills (his sworn enemy) and the 
row of older girls, decided just at this point 
that they were all in some mean plot against 
Katy, and fast getting the better of her. 

With Patsy to think was to act. Before any¬ 
body quite knew what was happening, a small 
fury was in their midst, whirling arms and legs 
like some strange sort of pin-wheel. Patsy 


[ 57 ] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


slapped Miss Mills squarely on one cheek, and 
then squarely on the other. Leaving her as if 
turned to stone with amazed anger, he then 
slapped Nellie, Jennie, Rhoda, Mary, Annie and 
Angie. This mission done, Patsy flew to Katy 
for shelter, for he well knew he had called forth 
a storm. Katy’s short arms were powerless 
to keep him from that storm, but she did her 
best . . . 

Surely this was a day of surprises in the 
Orphanage. When the children were, one and 
all, swept from the room, Miss Mills somewhat 
breathlessly asked Miss Loring if any decision 
had been reached. 

“Yes,” said Miss Loring, “there seems to be 
really no question. I think my brother is agreed 
with me, — ’ * turning to him. 

‘ ‘ Certainly, ’ ’ said Mr. Loring. i ‘ There is but 
one to choose, — that most charming child, — 
the Little Lady.” 


[58] 


CHAPTER YII 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 

Little Mary was in Elizabeth’s room. She 
had climbed up on the white dressing table, and 
was earnestly gazing at her own image in the 
oval mirror. Her mother, sewing by the win¬ 
dow, hardly approved of this. “Of all things,” 
she said to herself, “I won’t have her growing 
up vain, little beauty that she is. . . . ” 

“What are you thinking about so hard, Mary- 
bud?” she asked aloud. 

“I was thinking, Mamma, that I’m a teenty 
bit homely.” 

Her mother gave a sigh of relief. 

“Jump down, please, and run to the door, 
and see who’s coming. Somebody you will be 
glad to see, I am sure.” 

Mary hastened to open the door, and clapped 
her hands when she saw Emily. This cousin, 
Emily, was a prize favorite with the very little 
ones. She was always quick in her motions, 
could run like a young Indian, and took an 


[59] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


active interest in every kind of game. Jnst 
now, however, her mind was full of another 
project. 

“Oh, what do yon think?” she cried, flying 
to her aunt’s side, after hastily kissing little 
Mary. 

“Well, my dear?” said her aunt, smiling, 
and pausing in her sewing. 

“It’s the nicest thing that ever happened!” 

“What! Is it going to be Christmas again, 

— right off now?” asked Mary eagerly. 

“No. But, just think! Katy, Katy Loving, 
the little girl that lived in Scarecrow Alley, and 
then was adopted, she’s — they’ve come back 
from England to stay two months. And Betty 
says — ’ ’ 

Here Betty herself ran in, quite as jubilant as 
Emily. She had always felt that Katy was her 
own especial discovery, and had quite mourned 
when the Lorings took her away across the sea 
to live near London. 

“Could Polly Comforter have a party, do 
you think?” she asked. “A party for Lavinia? 

— that’s Katy’s doll, — the one Elizabeth gave 
her two years ago. ’ ’ 


[ 60 ] 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 


“Perhaps Katy has another doll now,” said 
her aunt. 

“Oh, but Lavinia! Why, Lavinia would still 
be her child” said Betty, with reproachful eyes. 

“I know, Precious. Yes, I am sure it will be 
all right for you to have a party. Only ask 
Aunt Nellie first.” 

“Can Susie come!” asked Emily, seizing her 
doll, and dancing around with her. Mary’s 
doll, Mabel Violet Virginia Pink, looked on with 
interest. 

“Yes, indeed. All the dolls must come,” said 
Betty. 

“I’ll write your invitations,” said Elizabeth, 
who had been listening. “I bought a box of 
dolls’ pink note-paper at the Doll Shop yester¬ 
day. Each sheet has a tiny, hand-painted Eng¬ 
lish daisy on it. I felt sure it would come in 
handy before long.” 

“Oh Elizabeth! you darling Elizabeth!” cried 
Emily, while Betty looked all her pleasure. 

“Let me see — ” said Elizabeth. “How shall 
we word the notes! I’ll write them at once.” 
So saying, she produced the tiny box, and drew 
forth a wee sheet of pink paper edged with 


[ 61 ] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

silver. Choosing her finest pen, she wrote: 
Miss Polly Comforter asks the pleas¬ 
ure of Miss Matilda Rosy’s company 
on Thursday afternoon, from ttvo until 
half-past four o’clock, to meet Miss 
Lavinia Loring. 

To which Betty added: 

P. S. I think there will be ice-cream . 

.. To this Emily thought well to affix: 

P. P. S. Cookies, anyway. 

Cousin Eleanora, too, was much interested in 
the plan, and said she would make new party- 
frocks for Polly Comforter, Susie, and Mabel 
Violet Virginia Pink. She got out her bag of 
choicest pieces, and let the little girls choose 
their muslins. Emily chose pink, Betty blue, 
and Mary-bud crimson. 

After the children had gone downstairs, 
Cousin Eleanora and Elizabeth lingered in 
Elizabeth’s room to chat awhile. 

“Once up here, it is impossible to tear my¬ 
self away,” said Cousin Eleanora. “You surely 
have the prettiest, cosiest nook in all the house! 
Do tell me more about this Katy, Elizabeth.” 
So Elizabeth told her all about the Christmas 


[ 62 ] 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 


doll, and about Katy’s going to live at the 
Orphanage, and of her happy adoption by the 
Lorings. 

“It was a wonderful piece of luck for the 
child. Mr. and Miss Loring are both fond of 
children, and they are giving Katy the best 
kind of home life. Miss Loring teaches her. 
Mr. Loring is a great reader, and has found out 
Katy’s craving for books. He has unearthed 
all the books of their own childhood,—the Rollo 
books — Miss Edgeworth — all those charming 
old classics so many children lose nowadays, — 
and they say he is, besides, always on the look¬ 
out for the best new story-books.” 

“Fortunate little girl!” said Cousin 
Eleanora. 

“Miss Loring,” went on Elizabeth, “is like 
a devoted elder sister, whose first thought is 
to keep the little sister well, and make her 
happy. . . . And then, think of the fun Katy 
has, traveling about with them! I must read 
you this little letter, supposed to be from 
Katy’s doll, Lavinia, to Betty’s doll, Polly 
Comforter. It is written from Wells. That’s 


[63] 


LAYINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

where that lovely English cathedral is, isn’t 
it?” 

“ Yes, ” said Cousin Eleanora. ‘ ‘ How did the 
Lorings happen to be there?” 

“Why, they’ve been looking for just the house 
to settle in, and heard of a very desirable one in 
Wells. I remember, now, it is close by the 
cathedral. ’ ’ 

“Do read the little letter,” said Cousin 
Eleanora. 

So Elizabeth got the letter. It was on tiny 
sheets of pale blue paper, with “Lavinia” in 
white letters at the top of each sheet. 

“Wells, July 16 . 
Dear Polly Comforter : 

I wish you were here. We could 
have such fun together! My Mamma 
calls Mr. Loring ‘Brother Dear,’ and 
she calls Miss Loring ‘Sister.’ So I 
do, too, though of course they aren’t 
my brother and sister. I tell you, so 
that you ’ll know who I’m talking about. 

Pretty soon after we left the Or¬ 
phanage, and while we were sailing on 
the big ship, my Mamma asked what 

[ 64 ] 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 


she should call them. Mr. Loring said 
‘ Call me anything you like, if only you 
call me to dinner.’ ‘Not to breakfast?’ 
asked my Mamma. ‘Horrors, no!’ he 
said, squizzling up his face in such a 
funny way. And he said to Sister, 
‘Have I ever yet failed to be late to 
breakfast?’ She said ‘Alas! no . 9 And 
he said, ‘Well, then.’ Then he made 
his face very solemn, and he said, ‘Ma- 
vourneen, I want you to grow up to be 
just like me. Always take me for your 
pattern. Try, child. I know it will be 
hard, but for my sake try to be always 
late to breakfast.’ 

My Mamma laughed very hard; and 
Sister said, ‘Good heavens, Edward! 
How can you?’ ‘But I like to get up 
early! The sky is prettier then, — all 
pinky-red,’ said my Mamma. ‘Is it?’ 
said he. ‘Why has nobody ever told 
me that before ? ’ And he made believe 
to be terribly cross, and tumbled her 
hair all up. 

One thing I don’t understand. When 
[ 65 ] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


my Mamma said she’d like to call him 
‘Brother Dear,’ Mr. Loring looked 
very pleased, and yet he almost cried. 
Sister kissed Mamma, and they both 
said they’d love to have her call him 
that. He calls my Mamma a long name 
that’s pretty I think. It’s ‘Mavour- 
neen.’ 

Well, yesterday Brother Dear took 
ns to walk to Wells Cathedral. We 
went into it. It’s so big, Polly Com¬ 
forter! I was almost lost in it, and 
you would be too— But I do hope 
you’ll see it sometime, when you come 
to England to visit me. Sister wants 
you to. Perhaps it will be in the Win¬ 
ter, and then you can see the Glaston¬ 
bury thorn that blossoms on Christmas 
Day. 

I am so little I can’t write well, and 
I don’t know how to tell you about the 
cathedral. The windows are such 
pretty shapes! When we were start¬ 
ing to go up the steps to the Chapter 
House we saw the cunningest little 


[66] 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 


flight of stairs, next the railing, at one 
side of the grown-np stairs. And 
Brother Dear stopped at the foot, and 
said to me, ‘Oh, Lavinia, help me! I 
never in this world can walk up such 
small steps.’ I said, ‘Why don’t you 
walk up the big ones?’ 

‘Lavinia, how did you think of that?’ 
he said. ‘I certainly will!’ Then he 
got sort of red and laughed, because he 
saw the care-taking man looking at 
him. 

Brother Dear took very slow steps 
up the big stairs, while I took quick 
ones up the little stairs, but we got to 
the top at the same time. 

Oh Polly, when we came down we 
walked over to the moat, which is 
around the Bishop’s Palace, — and, 
what do you think? We saw ever so 
many beautiful white swans swimming 
about, and one black too. I saw a rope 
hanging down from one of the Palace 
windows. By and by one of the swans 
sailed up and got onto the back of an- 

[67] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


other swan, so that it could reach the 
end of the rope. Then the swan pulled 
the rope! In a minute a girl came to 
the window, and threw crumbs out to 
the swans. The swans do this when¬ 
ever they want food. Don’t I wish I 
could have pulled a rope when I was 
hungry at the Orphanage. 

My Mamma has a sign with Brother 
Dear. Sister says my Mamma’s not 
to often eat between meals, but when 
she’s really hungry she makes a cur¬ 
tesy in front of Brother Dear. Then 
he jumps right up, — no matter if he’s 
reading his Greek or anything — and 
they dance into the pantry. He whis¬ 
tles the tune for it. Once he said to 
her, ‘Mavourneen, if you ever eat be¬ 
tween meals when you’re not hungry, 
I shall put you in the corner for forty 
seconds! ’ 

We saw something else nice, too, 
here in Wells, — the darlingest little 
white pony. It was mowing the grass 
close by the palace, and a big boy was 


[68] 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 


leading it. The boy told my Mamma 
it was the Bishop’s own pony. And 
he was a nice boy, and said to my 
Mamma, 4 Little girl, I’ll give yonr 
baby a ride on the pony’s back if yon 
like. ’ He held me on, and it was great 
fun! 

This is lots the longest letter I ever 
wrote, and I must say good-bye now, 
because Brother Dear is going to read 
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to 
me. He says Mamma and I are bound 
to like it, and that if we don’t he ’ll not 
let us have any cherry-tart at dinner. 
That’s how I know we ’re going to have 
it. Cook wouldn’t tell me. Goodbye in 
a rush, 

Lavinia. 

P. S. Heaps and heaps and oceans of 
love. Be sure to answer this. 

P. P. S. Sister has just given me two 
little coral necklaces, just alike. One 
is for you, she says, and she is going 
to mail it to you right off.” 

[ 69 ] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

When Elizabeth finished reading Lavinia’s 
letter, the tears for some reason, stood in 
Cousin Eleanora’s eyes. “ Happy, happy little 
Katy!” she said. 

The invitations to the dolls’ party were im¬ 
mediately accepted. “ What’s on now? Awed- 
ding!” asked Uncle Nathaniel when the shower 
of replies arrived. 

All went well, even to the weather, on the 
Great Day itself. 

Katy Loring was to come early, and Eliza¬ 
beth was the first to greet her. She could hardly 
believe it was the same little girl, so much had 
two years of devoted care and happy living 
done to dissipate Katy’s bashfulness, as well 
as to round out her cheeks and brighten her 
eyes. Her manners, Little Lady that she was 
— would always, and from her nature, be gen¬ 
tle and modest; but, on seeing Elizabeth, who 
had long dwelt in her heart, she did not shrink 
away, but showed all her grateful pleasure in 
the meeting. 

Katy wore an untrimmed frock of soft white 
merino, with a narrow green girdle, and hair- 


[ 70 ] 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 


ribbon of the same color binding her black 
locks. Her cheeks were as pink as roses. 

Lavinia, out of compliment to Elizabeth, wore 
the same Red Cross costume made by her so 
long ago, and she was all friendly eagerness 
to meet the other dolls. 

“Was there ever such a glorious blue-and- 
white day!” exclaimed Cousin Eleanora. “You 
will find Betty, Emily and Mary-bud down in 
the Fairy Circle, and the other children will all 
be here by afternoon. ’ ’ 

The Fairy Circle, you know, was a circle of 
pine trees. The party was a grand success, — 
“the bestest time I ever did have,” Mabel Vio¬ 
let Virginia Pink was heard to declare that 
night as she got into her crib. 

First they coasted on the cunningest little 
dolls ’ sleds you ever saw. These sleds were of 
different gay colors, and had the dolls’ owners’ 
names along their sides. When tired of sliding 
down the long slope from the barn, the little 
girls and dolls went over to a snow-house built 
for the occasion by Uncle Nathaniel. This house 
was just large enough to admit the whole party. 
It had two rooms, a parlor and a kitchen. And 


[7i] 


LAYINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


Uncle Nathaniel had made a real stove in the 
kitchen, in which crackled an actual fire. Eliza¬ 
beth, coming out with various little kettles and 
pans, proposed that the children cook their own 
supper. Did you ever hear of a nicer kind of 
party? They baked potatoes and toasted bread, 
and Elizabeth showed them how to make an 
omelette. And there was ice-cream, pink ice¬ 
cream, though I won’t swear that it was from 
fresh strawberries. 

As the little girls sat eating their supper, 
their eyes kept turning to the Red Cross doll. 
The little red cross on Lavinia’s cap reminded 
them that a great war had just ended, and now 
they asked Katy to tell them about the house 
in England, which the Lorings had turned into 
a Red Cross hospital. 

‘‘Brother Dear is going back there to plan 
some more about it, ’’ said Katy, but Sister and 
I are going to stay here, I think . 9 9 

6 ‘ Oh, goody ! 9 9 cried the little girls in a chorus. 

“Sister asked me if I didn’t want to help the 
sick people, too, and I do, so I taught Lavinia 
how to knit, and we’re both knitting a scarf. 


[ 72 ] 


THE DOLL’S PARTY 


WeVe got four inches done,” said Katy, smil¬ 
ing approvingly at the Red Cross doll. 

“Let’s all knit things!” cried Emily, bounc¬ 
ing up and down in her chair. 

“Let’s!” agreed the others. “And then, 
when we’ve got the things all knitted, we can 
have a fair.” 

“With lemonade!” asked little Mary, anx¬ 
iously. 

“Yes; and candy. I can make molasses 
candy, and peppermints,” said Betty. 

“I know how to knit wash-cloths,” said 
Barbara. 

“Will you show me how!” asked Cecily. 

“Yes. It’s as easy!” said Barbara. “And 
I’ve got two pairs of knitting-needles. I’ll give 
you my other pair. ’ ’ 

“Oh, thank you ever so much!” said Cecily. 
“Mother reads while she knits. P’raps I can.” 

“Now, Cecily! If you once get to reading!” 
remonstrated Emily. “I’ll tell you what, 
Cecily! Your writing is the best of any of us. 
Why don’t you make some little dolls’ poetry- 
books!” suggested Rosamund. 

Cecily beamed at this. 


[ 73 ] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

Uncle Nathaniel was the only man at supper. 
He kept the little girls laughing so hard I don’t 
quite see how they did dispose of the cookies. 
He helped them largely, to be sure. 

At last, alas! it was time to go home. Katy 
Loring was standing in the middle of the snow 
parlor, the Bed Cross doll in her arms. And 
all the little girls, with their own dolls, forming 
a ring about her, danced gayly round and 
round. 

The children sang: 

“Oh Lavinia, Lavinia L., 

We love you more than tongue can tell. 
Don’t go to England! Stay right here 
To join with us the glad New Year.” 


[ 74 ] 


CHAPTER VIII 


KATY AND LAVINIA JOIN THE JUNIOR 
RED CROSS 

As the children had been told, Miss Loring 
and Katy were to stay in America some months, 
while Mr. Loring, away over in Wells, saw that 
the Red Cross hospital was made very com¬ 
fortable, and in every way right for the poor 
suffering people who would be cared for there. 

When, as they sat in the firelight after the 
child’s early supper, Miss Loring was told by 
Katy about the fair, an idea suddenly came into 
the lady’s head. The idea pleased her so much 
that she leaned forward, and looked quite 
eagerly at the little girl and her doll in the Red 
Cross costume. Katy was holding Lavinia 
astride one foot, and was singing, in a voice 
as freshly sweet as a thrush’s, “Ride a cock¬ 
horse to Banbury Cross!” while Lavinia’s curls 
bobbed gayly as she bounced up and down. 

“Katy,” said Miss Loring, “you have heard 
me say a great deal about the Red Cross, and 

[75] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

I must tell you now about the Junior Red 
Cross.” 

“Yes, do tell me about it, Sister,” said Katy, 
lifting Lavinia from her lowly perch, and snug¬ 
gling her in her arms. 

“The Junior Red Cross is like a little sister 
to the Red Cross,” said Miss Loring. “It is 
one of the best, most hopeful things for the 
future that ever came about in America. Presi¬ 
dent Wilson was made the president of this 
younger league on September 15th, 1917. Most 
of the schools all over the country have joined 
this Junior Red Cross, and the children of the 
different school units are doing just as valuable 
work as the grown people in their Red Cross. 

“What kind of work can children do for it?” 
asked Katy. She spoke with interest, because 
one of the results of this little girPs adoption 
by the Lorings was that she had caught from 
them their real liking for work. There are two 
ways of presenting everything, and this good 
brother and sister had put charm into every 
useful effort of Katy’s. 

“It is astonishing, the number of ways 
found by our boys and girls for earning 


[76] 


KATY AND LAVINIA JOIN THE JUNIOR RED CROSS 

money,” said Miss Loring. “Some of them do 
the very sort of things, darling, that yon have 
been planning to do for your little fair. Now, 
if you can knit wash-cloths and dolls * scarfs, 
and make candy, I am sure you will find selling 
them ever so much more interesting if you know 
that the money they bring is to go to the Junior 
Red Cross, made up of little boys and girls like 
yourself. Perhaps the money will be used for 
little refugees in France and England.” 

Lavinia had slipped to the floor, and Katy’s 
eyes were fixed eagerly on Miss Loring’s face. 

“It will be lots more fun to have our fair for 
something real like that,” she said. 

“I am sure it will. Now you must tell the 
others. Wouldn’t it be fine if something you 

had made went to Elise F-in Paris! Her 

father belonged at one time to the Boston Sym¬ 
phony Orchestra. He fought bravely in the war 
from the very beginning, much of the time at 
the front. Just think, Katy! that little daughter 
of his, — only six, I think, when the war started, 
— wrote to her father every day till the war was 
over. He is safe at home now, but broken by 
all he has been through. I wonder if we couldn’t 

[ 77 ] 



LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

make over one of your little dresses for Elise. 
You hem nicely, and could help me.” 

Katy said she would love to hem the dress. 

Next day Betty, Emily, Barbara and Cecily 
came to see Katy, and before many minutes all 
five little girls were deep in plans for the Junior 
Red Cross Fair, as they now proudly called it. 

“I know something I’m going to make !” said 
Barbara. “We never throw away the news¬ 
papers in our house. There’s the greatest stack 
of them in the attic! They go clear up to the 
roof. Baddy says wood costs so much we must 
make the newspapers into logs. I know how, 
Betty showed me. She makes them carefuller 
than I do, though. Daddy says if I make some 
for our fair he’ll buy them.” 

6 1 How do you make them 1 ’ ’ asked Katy. 

“Oh, you just take five or six newspapers, 
lay them flat in a pile, roll the pile tightly, and 
tie with string (I used old picture wire for 
some) at both ends and in the middle. 

“They look awfully pretty when they’re burn¬ 
ing in the open fireplace,” said Emily, “like 
white birch logs. ’ ’ 

“And if you sprinkle on driftwood powder 
[73] 


KATY AND LAVINIA JOIN THE JUNIOR RED CROSS 

they flame up in the loveliest colors!” said 
Cecily. 

“What shall yon have them cost?” asked 
Katy. 

“Oh, I don’t know. Three cents a log, I 
guess. I’ll ask Daddy,” said Barbara. 

“Yon could tie on a little bag of driftwood 
powder, the kind that comes in boxes,” said 
Katy, “or onto some, and charge six cents for 
those. If Brother Dear were only here! He’d 
buy piles of them. ’ ’ 

“I may not make piles,” said Barbara, who 
detested sitting still, “at any rate, not unless 
some of you help me.” 

“I will,” came a little feebly from Katy, after 
a somewhat discouraging silence, for each little 
girl had a different pet scheme in her own mind. 

Cecily was deep in thoughts of the dolls’ 
story-books she meant to make. Perhaps Aunt 
Alice, down in Yarmouthport, could be coaxed 
to make a few illustrations. She painted beau¬ 
tifully. The dolls sadly needed a new Geog¬ 
raphy, so many boundaries were changed since 
the war. It was most bewildering. The coun¬ 
tries were all higgledy-piggledy! ” 

[79] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


The little girls set to work with a will for their 
fair, and when it was at last held, all the mam¬ 
mas and aunts turned out in full force, and 
spent recklessly. In the end all the little girls 
had joined to make newspaper logs, and the sale 
of these alone brought nearly five dollars. 

Katy had hitherto been taught all her lessons 
at home by Mr. and Miss Loring, but now Miss 
Loring felt that it would be pleasant for her to 
go to the little village school with her friends, 
even though she must enter in the midst of the 
school year. She went with Katy one morning 
to make arrangements. It was a beautiful day, 
and when they reached the small red school- 
house, Katy chose to wait outside in the spark¬ 
ling air, while Miss Loring went inside for her 
talk with Miss Lee. 

Presently a little boy about ten years old, 
carrying a number of school-books under his 
arm, came up the path. He was a stout little 
fellow, and in a great hurry, and his books kept 
slipping from his hold onto the snow-covered 
ground, which made him cross. At the third 
downfall, Katy ran to help him pick up the 
books. 


[ 8 °] 


KATY AND LAVINIA JOIN THE JUNIOR RED CROSS 

“Let me carry half, youVe got such a lot,” 
she said. 

The small boy stood staring at her a moment 
without replying. “Are you coming to our 
school ?” he asked at last. 

“Yes, I think so,” said Katy. “I want to 
be one of the Junior Bed Cross too.” 

“You bet you do!” said David, for that was 
his name. 1 ‘ I belong to it,’ 9 he added, standing 
straighter. “It’s great! You 9 11 prob’ly knit 
stuff. 1 make hot waffles, and sell ’em to the 
kids at noon. They used to have cold lunches, 
an’ they like the waffles blamed well, ’cause I 
serve ’em out hot as fire. My mother gives me 
the buckwheat, an’ teacher lets me cook ’em on 
the school-room stove. Some of the coldest days 
I sell ’em like the wind,” he boasted. 

“I think that’s splendid!” said Katy, glanc¬ 
ing at him respectfully, as they moved toward 
the school-house. She wanted to ask him a num¬ 
ber of questions, but David was already late 
and hurried inside. Katy could hear a clatter 
of falling books as he went up the stairs. 

Meanwhile Miss Lee was telling Miss Loring 
about the success of the league in her school. 


[8i] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 


“It isn’t only the good work that goes out, 
widespread as that is,” she said, “but I can 
see its mark on the children themselves. For 
instance, did yon happen to notice that stout 
little boy who just came in? He used to be 
my most troublesome pupil, because of his pent- 
up energy. It seemed impossible to waken any 
ambition in him. But for a fortnight he has 
been a member of our Junior Red Cross, and 
in that two weeks’ time, he is a changed child. 
It has roused his self-respect. He sees he is of 
use.” 

4 ‘ How happy that must make you! ’ ’ said Miss 
Loring. “My Katy has plenty of generous feel¬ 
ing, but she is still a little lacking in self-confi¬ 
dence. It is there that I feel you can help her. ’ ’ 

“I will try,” said Miss Lee. 

That evening Miss Loring’s living-room 
showed a pretty picture. The room was only 
dimly lighted by the lamp with its rose-colored 
shade, but the moonlight, streaming in, showed 
Miss Loring at the piano, playing softly. In 
the wide open fireplace the “fairy logs,” as 
Katy called them, were burning brightly. The 
logs looked, as Emily had said, like white birch, 


[82] 




“While you’re getting warm I’ll tell you some more about the 
Junior Red Cross League,’’ said Katy earnestly, “for I want you to 
join it, Lavinia.’’ 































KATY AND LAVINIA JOIN THE JUNIOR RED CROSS 


and slender flames of blue and green ran up 
their sides. The green was matched by Katy’s 
hair-ribbon. Katy, in her warm white merino 
dress, sat on the hearthrug, and Lavinia was be¬ 
tween her knees, the doll’s hands extended to the 
blaze. 

‘‘While you’re getting warm, I’ll tell you 
some more about the Junior Red Cross 
League,” said Katy earnestly, “for I want you 
to join it, Lavinia.” 

“I don’t seem to take an int’rest,” she then 
answered for Lavinia. “I’m too small.” 

“Don’t say you’re too small, darling! No¬ 
body is too small to try to help! I know of 
something right now you can do. You can wear 
your Red Cross dress often, and that will re¬ 
mind me of the Junior Red Cross. Brother 
Dear wrote me a long letter all about how ex¬ 
cited the English children are getting over it, 
too. Don’t you want to help, Lavinia! Think 
of all those poor little children in France that 
for a long long time didn’t have enough to eat! 
They are our friends across the sea. Let’s do 
all we can for them, shall we, Lavinia!” 


[83] 


LAVINIA, THE RED CROSS DOLL 

And, turning Lavinia around, the better to 
gravely study her, she was glad to see a smile 
of assent on the face of 

The Red Cross Doll. 

THE END 


[84] 




























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